Welcome to DBSTalk

Welcome to DBSTalk. Our community covers all aspects of video delivery solutions including: Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS), Cable Television, and Internet Protocol Television (IPTV). We also have forums to discuss popular television programs, home theater equipment, and internet streaming service providers. Members of our community include experts who can help you solve technical problems, industry professionals, company representatives, and novices who are here to learn.

Like most online communities you must register to view or post in our community. Sign-up is a free and simple process that requires minimal information. Be a part of our community by signing in or creating an account. The Digital Bit Stream starts here!

I have a new setup, 2 DVRs and 3 Receivers. One of my receivers keeps losing the ability to see the DVRs. A network check indicates that it is connected to the network. A reboot restores its ability to see the DVRs.

Well, I thought that could be it, but when looking at my router, I can see that all 5 of the receivers are still active on the network.

They show up in the IP address log, and their leases have all been renewed within the past day.

That's where the problem seems to be. When the lease is renewed, the router believes the receivers are there, the receiver believe they have a correct IP address, but there is some disconnect so that in reality the lease was not renewed correctly. Give static IP addressing a try and see if that resolves your issue.

Well, I thought that could be it, but when looking at my router, I can see that all 5 of the receivers are still active on the network.

They show up in the IP address log, and their leases have all been renewed within the past day.

Yes, "but" from experience there seems to be part of MRV that seems to not be renewed.I'm not a router expert [by any means] but have done some testing and seen both "no problem" and "the problem", and in the case of "the problem" static IPs outside of the DHCP pool resolved it.

If you want to play around a bit: remove the bridge to your router, reboot all the receivers and let them configure without the router assigning IPs. Test how MRV works this way."Most" find MRV works fine and this only happens when the router comes back into the loop.

OK, that did not fix my issue. All receivers are on static IPs, outside the DHCP range. Same receiver again tonight would not see the DVRs.

Any other suggestions? I have the tech's phone number, I guess I just need to have him swap out the receiver, eh?

Before you have him do that, move them off the router & internet by disconnecting the BB DECA, and reboot all the receivers.Check if they play well without the router. If they don't, then maybe get a receiver/DECA swapped.

One more thing to try... Swap the receiver with another location and see if the issue moves with the receiver or stays at the location. If the receiver has a DECA attached, leave it where it is at first and if the issue doesn't move, then swap the DECA with another and see if the issue moves with the DECA.

Well, I continue to have problems with my installation. It doesn't happen enough to be more than annoying, and frustrating now.

I swapped locations on the one receiver that was first exhibiting problems, and it never lost the ability to see the DVRs in the new locations, but it did freeze solid trying to play back a program, such that I had to pull the power cable to reboot.

And now, a second receiver is losing the ability to see the receivers.

Keep in mind that all 5 of my receivers are on static IPs, outside of the range that DHCP is using, and no other devices in my house have the same IP as the receivers.

Also, I find playback controls on any other receiver other than the DVR that recorded the program to be very sluggish. The 30 second skips take a long time, and it is hard to stop in the right spot using the 4x FF. Is this typical, or indicative of a larger problem?

I guess I just need to call the tech to come back and diagnose it, but I just don't have 4 hour windows to wait around for what I anticipate to be a multiple visit issue. Is this something I could fix myself? Plus, how can I get the problem to replicate while he is there?

If there is a question about the DECA network status and you have any 24s, you can run a test of the coax network. Press guide & > buttons on the front panel to find the menu.

Do you have a lot of wireless devices on your network?

At least one member needed to use an old router between the DECA network and his home network/router. He has the same 2Wire I do, but had problems I don't [but I also don't have much wireless activity either].

FF has auto correcting that makes 4xFF require six 30 sec skips to get to where you stopped it.

My DECA is connected to my home network via a switch, which is in turn connected to my Wireless Router via ethernet. I have a LOT of wireless traffic in the house, but I would think the switch would isolate my TV network from the rest, if that's what you mean.

My DECA is connected to my home network via a switch, which is in turn connected to my Wireless Router via ethernet. I have a LOT of wireless traffic in the house, but I would think the switch would isolate my TV network from the rest, if that's what you mean.

"For some reason", routers with lots of wireless devices don't always behave as well as those without. I have no idea why, but that last time this came up, the "solution" was a $10 old router between the two.Normally static IPs resolve this, but not always.

Well, like I said, I am using a switch, which as far as I know is exactly the same as a router but without the WAN connectivity or the wireless, so it sounds like that wouldn't change anything.

I read that, but no it isn't the same. By using a second router, it is the one handling the receiver side of the network, while the primary is handling the wireless aspect.Frankly I'm only telling you what has worked for someone else having the same problems.

Well, now I can't get my installer to call me back. Spoke to him briefly 2 days ago, and he said he would get right back with me with a time.

So much for the big tip I gave him...

He may be trying to get some information about your problem, but isn't finding any.Their training ends with connecting the BB DECA to your router, and it doesn't go any further into your home network.I've posted what we've seen here and what some have done. This goes way beyond what an installer has been given.

Maybe I'm not stating the problem clearly, but this has nothing to do with my network. One of my receivers keeps losing the DVRs. Rebooting the receiver fixes the problem, temporarily.

So the guy finally comes out, and says, yep, that receiver isn't communicating with the network. So he says the solution is to reboot my main receiver, the one the DECA is connected to? And to powercycle the stuff that the switch is connected to?

He assured me that this would fix the problem. I find a very hard time believing that, since I was only having problems with one receiver.

Maybe I'm not stating the problem clearly, but this has nothing to do with my network. One of my receivers keeps losing the DVRs. Rebooting the receiver fixes the problem, temporarily.

So the guy finally comes out, and says, yep, that receiver isn't communicating with the network. So he says the solution is to reboot my main receiver, the one the DECA is connected to? And to powercycle the stuff that the switch is connected to?

He assured me that this would fix the problem. I find a very hard time believing that, since I was only having problems with one receiver.

"Well" to prove that this has NOTHING to do with your home network: Remove the BB DECA connection, and then reboot all the receivers. Rebooting should have each sift to their internal IP address.Run the system this way and see if the problem shows back up."If so", then it isn't your home network."If not" and the problem doesn't repeat, then what you're having is related to your router.

What is the internal IP address, and where can you see it? Remember I have set all my IP addresses statically.

"If not" and the problem doesn't repeat, then what you're having is related to your router.

Or, the way the receiver handles static IP addresses.

If I were having this problem with all my receivers, I would believe it could be related to the network. But, since it is only this one receiver, then I have a hard time believing that it could be anything else but a faulty receiver. And I don't exactly have time to try to track down this installer multiple times when he should've just replaced the receiver first.

What is the internal IP address, and where can you see it? Remember I have set all my IP addresses statically.

Under auto they'll be 169.xxx.xxx.xxx

Or, the way the receiver handles static IP addresses.

If I were having this problem with all my receivers, I would believe it could be related to the network. But, since it is only this one receiver, then I have a hard time believing that it could be anything else but a faulty receiver. And I don't exactly have time to try to track down this installer multiple times when he should've just replaced the receiver first.

You seem to be fixed on what the problem is, or what you think it is.I can only offer help from those that had a similar problem.If you don't think this is yours, or don't want to try a few things to prove it or isolate that it's not, there isn't much more I can do."Good Luck"

VOS,
I know very little about all of this except what you and Merg have taught me through my installation, but reading the quote below taken out of one of the OP's posts, could it be that the BB DECA is connected directly to one of his receivers and causing the problem. Or am I completely off base?
Just still learning.

Quote:
So the guy finally comes out, and says, yep, that receiver isn't communicating with the network. So he says the solution is to reboot my main receiver, the one the DECA is connected to? And to powercycle the stuff that the switch is connected to

VOS,I know very little about all of this except what you and Merg have taught me through my installation, but reading the quote below taken out of one of the OP's posts, could it be that the BB DECA is connected directly to one of his receivers and causing the problem. Or am I completely off base?Just still learning.

Quote:So the guy finally comes out, and says, yep, that receiver isn't communicating with the network. So he says the solution is to reboot my main receiver, the one the DECA is connected to? And to powercycle the stuff that the switch is connected to

No, you're not "off base". We've seen a DECA be bad.To check if this might be the problem, removing the BB DECA connection is what I'd do.Reducing the system to its simplest components is how troubleshooting is done.If the system won't work "stand alone", then it's DirecTV's job/problem to fix it.If it turns out to be stable without the internet connection, then there isn't much an installer is doing to do, and like we've seen many times before [and more so with active wireless networks], there is something going on [or not going on] in the router.

Well, the bad receiver had already lost its connection about 3 hours after the guy left, with no operation of it at all.

The rest of the receivers are fine, and have been fine. He is supposedly going to bring a replacement out tomorrow. After that is in, and if I have problems, then I'll look at isolating the system from my home network and see what happens.

However, since they sold me (and charged me for) a Cinema connection, I will most certainly hold them to making it work.

As for me fixating on the problem. Yeah, since it is only one receiver, then I am pretty much fixated on that. If all three were having problems, I might give your theory more weight.

Also, could you please link me to the thread where this is all being discussed. All I can find is the FAQ that's stickied, where it is said that discussion is going on in the discussion thread, which I cannot find even by searching for the title of the FAQ thread less the "FAQ" and it seems the discussion in the FAQ thread is pretty minimal.